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Prolonging Germany’s aging nukes threatens renewable energy development

Germany’s largest utilities are focusing on wind power as their preferred renewable energy technology, while households and farmers are tapping solar energy to earn above-market rates for electric power.

Germany’s Extension for Nuclear Power Threatens Offshore Wind Investments, Bloomberg, By Jeremy van Loon – Sep 7, 2010 The German government’s plan to extend the phase-out of nuclear power risks hampering investment in offshore wind turbines, a technology that may provide much of the country’s renewable energy by the middle of this century. Continue reading

September 7, 2010 Posted by | Germany, renewable | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Not certain that Germany’s nuclear plants will be extended

Merkel’s coalition, however, still needs to get parliamentary approval for the new agreement.

German leaders reach agreement on nuclear energy – BusinessWeek,  JUERGEN BAETZ, 5 Sept 10, German leaders reached an agreement to grant the country’s nuclear power plants an average of 12 extra years of production time and to levy new fees on the utility companies’, stripping them of billions of their expected additional profits, a government official said Sunday……. Continue reading

September 6, 2010 Posted by | Germany, politics | , , , | Leave a comment

Many Germans unhappy with extension of aging nuclear plants

“The chancellor is selling off public safety by allowing ailing and ageing nuclear power plants to stay online longer and by taking money for it.”..

Angela Merkel risks Germans’ ire with fresh commitment to nuclear energyGerman chancellor adds 15 years to scheduled phase-out of country’s nuclear power plants ,  Kate Connolly in Berlin guardian.co.uk, Monday 30 August 2010 Continue reading

September 3, 2010 Posted by | Germany, politics | , , , , | Leave a comment

New charges and fuel tax burden on Germany’s nuclear plants

Financial demands before German nuclear operators, World Nuclear News, By Rumyana Vakarelska, 31 August 2010 In addition to the introduction of a new €2.3 billion ($2.9 billion) annual windfall tax, the German government has now demanded nuclear firms pay a contribution towards the development of renewable energy.A number of measures expected to be brought in during September are likely to see the introduction of a tax on nuclear fuel that will help shore up German finances in return for allowing nuclear operators to continue their businesses. This could come at the same time as austerity measures, when additional billions in tax from nuclear firms would be particularly welcome. Financial demands before German nuclear operators

September 1, 2010 Posted by | Germany, politics | , , , | Leave a comment

Germany to keep nuclear fuel tax, phase out nuclear power

At the weekend Peter Müller, the leader of the small state of Saarland and a member of Ms Merkel’s CDU party, said in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper that his regional government did not support any move to extend the life of the plants and would vote against any law change [that would allow nuclear plants to continue]

Merkel stands firm on nuclear tax plan, FT.com, By James Wilson August 22 2010 Angela Merkel on Sunday stood by plans for a tax on nuclear power as debate intensified over her government’s energy policy following public criticism by leading business people. Continue reading

August 23, 2010 Posted by | Germany, politics | , , , , | Leave a comment

Germany struggles over question of its aging, dilapidated nuclear facilities

“There is no reason to negotiate with the nuclear power companies,” ….“A fuel tax is not needed to pay for extending the life of the plants but to keep the taxpayers from footing the bill of up to €10 billion for refurbishing old, dilapidated waste storage facilities.”….

analysts argue that the more Germany expands the renewable energy sector, whether for domestic consumption or exporting the equipment, the greater the potential for creating jobs.

Merkel Takes an ‘Energy Trip’, By JUDY DEMPSEY NYTimes.com, August 18, 2010 BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel, facing intense pressure from nuclear power companies to extend the life of their plants, began a cross-country tour Wednesday before deciding on a long-term energy policy with far-reaching implications for Germany, which has Europe’s largest economy…… Continue reading

August 19, 2010 Posted by | Germany, politics | , , , , | Leave a comment

German Govt offered billions to keep aging nuclear reactors going

German utilities offer billions in nuclear deal,  Business Week, By VERENA SCHMITT-ROSCHMANN, 16 Aug 2010, Germany’s utilities are offering to pay the government billions to let them keep their nuclear power plants running longer instead of shutting them down as mandated under current law, energy giant RWE AG said Monday.The companies also want the government to back off a proposed tax on nuclear fuel as part of the deal………German utilities offer billions in nuclear deal – BusinessWeek

August 19, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, Germany | , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear energy looking uneconomic in Germany

The government’s plans to impose taxes on nuclear power plant operators are part of a package–totaling around EUR82 billion between 2011 and 2014–to cut public budget deficits. The duty on nuclear fuel rods is expected to contribute EUR2.3 billion in tax income each year…..

German Utilities Warn Fuel Tax May Herald End Of Nuclear Energy – WSJ.com, By Jan Hromadko, Dow Jones Newswires; AUGUST 12, 2010, FRANKFURT  -Germany’s plan to tax the fuel used to fire nuclear power plants could make reactors unprofitable and hasten the country’s exit from atomic energy generation, Continue reading

August 14, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, Germany | , , , , | Leave a comment

German nuclear companies doubtful future prospects

Merkel may have to settle for nuclear reactor lifetimes shorter than the 60 or so years in other European countries after she lost control of parliament’s upper house in a defeat for her Christian Democrats in a state election in May. The Social Democrats and Green Party, which set Germany on course to phase out nuclear power in 2000, oppose an extension.

E.ON, RWE Poised to Cut Spending as Nuclear Tax Erodes Profits, Bloomberg,By Nicholas Comfort – Aug 10, 2010 E.ON AG and RWE AG, two of the worst performers in Germany’s benchmark DAX share index this year, are poised to cut dividends and investment because a proposed tax on nuclear reactors will erode the utilities’ profits. Continue reading

August 11, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, Germany | , | Leave a comment

Hot weather furthering solar energy in Germany

better-than-expected progress in harnessing the power of the sun on these hot summer days. Much earlier than expected, solar, wind and water power are expected to cover Germany’s total energy demands.

Renewable energy technology developing faster than expected, Germany | Deutsche Welle | 05.08.2010,  Ben Knight,   Germany is a world leader in developing solar power technology. The Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Technology has reported a marked progress in the capacity of renewable energy in Germany. But this could mean the country is running into a supply conflict with nuclear power. Continue reading

August 7, 2010 Posted by | Germany, renewable | , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear power future in Germany very much in doubt

According to a law passed in 2002 by the then-ruling SPD and the Green coalition, all of Germany’s nuclear power plants are to go off line by 2022…

Opposition party pledges to fight nuclear power extension | Germany | Deutsche Welle | 26.07.2010 Richard Connor , German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s governing coalition has been put on notice that it will face a fight over any change to the law on nuclear energy without approval from the country’s upper house of parliament. Continue reading

July 27, 2010 Posted by | Germany, politics | , , , , | Leave a comment

Germany introducing nuclear fuel tax

Revenue from the tax would help Germany cut its budget deficit and finance the clean-up of its repositories for nuclear waste.

German nuclear tax to raise 2.3 bln eur-draft law BERLIN, July 15 (Reuters) – The proposed German tax on nuclear power station operators would likely raise 2.3 billion euros annually between 2011 and 2014, a finance ministry draft law obtained by Reuters said.Nuclear power station operators will face a levy of 220 euros per gramme of nuclear fuel (uranium or plutonium)…… Continue reading

July 16, 2010 Posted by | Germany, politics | , , | Leave a comment

Germany: 9 billion euro revenue from tax on nuclear fuel

German MOF: Not Abolishing Plan To Impose Nuclear Fuel Rod Tax – WSJ.com BERLIN (Dow Jones), -By Andrea Thomas 5 July 2010,-The German finance ministry Monday rejected a media report that it might scrap the proposed tax on nuclear fuel rods and raise money from an energy fund instead.”The finance ministry doesn’t disavow the nuclear fuel rods tax,” a finance ministry spokesman told Dow Jones Newswires.

………….As part of its EUR80 billion austerity package, the German government has said it plans to impose a tax on fuel rods, with proceeds seen at some EUR9.2 billion over a four-year period.Germany is in the process of gradually phasing out all of its remaining 17 nuclear reactors by around 2022….

German MOF: Not Abolishing Plan To Impose Nuclear Fuel Rod Tax – WSJ.com

July 6, 2010 Posted by | Germany, politics | , , , | Leave a comment

Germany’s nuclear power industry not happy with uranium fuel tax

German Minister:Fuel-Rod Tax Tied To Nuclear Extension – WSJ.com By Jan Hromadko   BERLIN (Dow Jones), 1 July 2010, –The German government’s proposed tax on nuclear energy will be linked to a planned extension of reactor operating lives, deputy economic minister Jochen Homann said Wednesday. Continue reading

July 1, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, Germany | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Germany to introduce tax on uranium fuel rods

Merkel rebuffs industry opposition to tax on uranium fuel, Monsters and Critics, Jun 23, 2010, Berlin – Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday rebuffed opposition from German industry to a planned tax on the uranium fuel rods used in nuclear power stations, her spokesman said.  Current legislation requires all the German reactors to cease operation by about 2022……….. Continue reading

June 24, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, Germany | , , , , , | Leave a comment